Some laws were created for very specific historical reasons — and never removed. The result? A collection of strange, funny, and sometimes baffling rules that are technically still enforceable today. While many are rarely applied, they remain on the books and reveal fascinating slices of legal history.
Let’s take a world tour of some truly weird laws that still exist.
🇺🇸 Unusual Laws in the United States
Some state and local laws that sound unbelievable:
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In parts of the U.S., it is illegal to keep a donkey in a bathtub (an old flood-related safety rule).
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One city once banned tying a giraffe to a telephone pole.
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In one state, it’s technically illegal to fall asleep in a cheese factory.
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Some towns still have outdated dress-code or behavior laws from the early 1900s.
Why they exist: Many were situational safety rules that became obsolete but were never formally repealed.
🇬🇧 Strange Laws in the United Kingdom
Old British law is full of surprises:
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It is technically illegal to handle salmon suspiciously under an anti-poaching law.
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Entering Parliament in a full suit of armor is prohibited under an old statute.
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Certain historic bylaws restrict how items can be shaken or beaten in public places (originally about carpets and dust).
Why they exist: Many date back centuries and were written for very specific social problems of their time.
🇫🇷 Odd Rules in France
France has some famously quirky regulations:
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A long-standing rule once restricted what names parents could give children (to protect children from ridicule).
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For years, railway platform kissing was restricted to prevent train delays (now mostly symbolic).
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Some towns historically required special permission for unusual public costumes.
Why they exist: Many were designed to protect public order and administrative efficiency.
🇨🇭 🇮🇹 🇪🇸 European Local Laws That Raise Eyebrows
Across Europe, local regulations can get very specific:
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In parts of Switzerland, excessive late-night noise — including certain household activities — can technically be fined.
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Some Italian towns historically regulated where and when pigeons could be fed.
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A few Spanish municipalities once passed hyper-local dress or festival-behavior rules that still technically stand.
Why they exist: Municipal laws often target local nuisances — and remain long after habits change.
🇯🇵 🇸🇬 🇦🇺 Unusual Laws in Asia-Pacific
Some lesser-known oddities:
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Certain cities enforce very strict public cleanliness and behavior rules.
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In some places, very specific anti-littering and public conduct laws can lead to fines.
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Old transport and animal-control rules remain on record in parts of Australia.
Why they exist: Many are public-discipline and sanitation laws taken to very detailed levels.
Why Do Weird Laws Stay on the Books?
Even when outdated, laws often remain because:
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Repealing laws takes time and legislative effort
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They rarely cause harm if unenforced
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No one prioritizes cleanup of obsolete statutes
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They may still apply in rare edge cases
Legal systems accumulate rules like attics accumulate boxes.
Important Reality Check
Many “weird law” lists online exaggerate or oversimplify. In practice:
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Some are outdated but unenforced
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Some apply only under narrow conditions
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Some have been repealed but still circulate online
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Some are misinterpretations of broader laws
They’re fun — but not always enforced literally.
Weird laws are like legal fossils — reminders of old fears, habits, and social problems. They show how societies tried to solve very specific issues — sometimes in very specific ways.
